1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to devices designed to grasp and support bags of various sizes, and in particular, to devices for supporting plastic or paper bags in an upright position and for maintaining the orifice of a bag in an open position.
2. Description of Related Art
Bags and other collapsible containers for carrying items, whether for grocery or garbage or whether paper or plastic, present problems for those loading or unloading the contents of the bag. Namely, bags and other collapsible containers tend to fold upon themselves once tension has been removed from the bag orifice. In the past, consumers have traditionally overcome this problem by using one hand to hold the bag partially open while removing or inserting contents with the other hand.
A number of inventions have been developed to address the problems associated with bag loading and unloading. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 85,511, 2,875,970, 3,226,070, and 6,325,341 disclose bag support structures designed to hold the orifice of a bag in the open position. However, each of these devices has shortcomings, inasmuch as they are either not self contained (e.g., 6,325,341), not capable of being readily assembled, disassembled, transported, or stored (e.g., 2,875,970 and 4,322,048), or are awkward in their operation (e.g., 85,511 and 3,226,070).
Other bag support devices have similar shortcomings. U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,908 to Downs discloses a holder designed to accommodate plastic bags with carrying handles or straps. Although the Downs holder comprises support structures that extend upwardly from the base, the support structures are fixed in position and may not be folded or removed from the base structure, thus preventing the device from occupying unnecessary space when stored in a closet or cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,050 to Peterson et al. discloses a food storage bag holder constructed from first and second support members, which are vertically positioned in a parallel relationship. Because the support members are generally planar, the device only allows bags to be loaded or unloaded from directly above, thus preventing quick and easy access to the bag from all sides. Additionally, the primarily vertical construction of the Peterson device makes it prone to tipping if accidentally brushed against by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,567 to Magnafici discloses a locking bag holder comprised of two stanchion assemblies connected by a crossbar. Although the Magnifici device may be adjusted to accommodate locking bags of different sizes, the device may not be conveniently stored without disassembling the crossbar from the stanchion assemblies.
As can be seen from the above discussion, the prior art has largely failed to satisfy the bag holding needs of the average household consumer. What is needed is an improved bag holder that overcomes the shortfalls of the devices that are currently known in the art. Specifically, what is needed is a bag support and holder that is easily assembled, operated, and transported, that is capable of quick and convenient storage, and that is able to accommodate virtually any type of bag.